Sunday night, Common took home the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, Motion Picture, for “Glory,” which appeared on the soundtrack for Selma. During his speech, the Chicago native took the time to pay tribute to the numerous unarmed black men who have been killed by police over the last year.

Common, who shared the award with John Legend, spoke about the feeling he got when he first stepped on the set of Selma and mentioned not only the recent killings of unarmed black men, but also the killing of two Brooklyn, N.Y., police officers.

The first day I stepped on the set of Selma, I began to think this was bigger than a movie. As I got to know people of the civil rights movement, I realized: I am the hopeful black woman who was denied her right to vote; I am the caring white supporter, killed on the front lines of freedom; I am the unarmed black kid who maybe needed a hand but was instead given a bullet; I am the two fallen police officers murdered in the line of duty.Selma has awakened my humanity.

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